"It's time to throw back that curtain and let in some light" was the rousing message Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy left at Te Papaiouru Marae this morning.
Steam from the ground at Ohinemutu cleared for Dame Patsy and husband Sir David Gascoigne as they approached Te Arawa's paramount marae, guided by a pōhiri led by Rotorua students.
Once inside, Dame Patsy thanked students for the powerful haka which welcomed her to the heart of Māoridom.
"This area is rich in its knowledge in tikanga and its language but other places in New Zealand don't have that same depth of understanding."
She said in addition to the treaty settlement process there was still much more Aotearoa needed to do to prove the understanding of the history and the culture of tangata whenua.
"Ideally te reo should be taught in all schools as should the history of our nation, including the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the impact of colonisation on tangata whenua and the causes and impact of the New Zealand Wars," Dame Patsy said.
"As a nation, it would seem we keep the tools for understanding grievance and the knowledge of grievances exist in the first place behind a curtain.
"It's time to throw back that curtain and let in some light."
Prior to her appointment as Governor-General, Dame Patsy worked as a crown negotiator for treaty settlements for Ngati Rangiwēwehi, Ngati Rangiteaorere and Tapuika.
The process of pākehā settlement was often undertaken without due respect to tangata whenua, she said.
"We have seen the lasting effects this has had on the language and culture and most importantly the wellbeing of tangata whenua."
The importance of mana, tikanga, te reo and the eight beating hearts of Te Arawa was taught to her through her time with Te Arawa iwi.
She said it had informed her in her role as Governor.
Rotorua district councillors Trevor Maxwell, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, Karen Hunt and mayor Steve Chadwick were among those welcoming the couple to Rotorua.
"We don't have to tell you Rotorua and this region is the heartland of Māori culture. We feel it and this is one of the strengths of our district," Chadwick said.
After this morning's welcome, Dame Patsy visited the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Puia, with a reception for Rotorua community organisations that evening.
Twice a year, the Governor-General makes a trip to a different region of New Zealand to get to know it better as part of a programme of in-depth regional visits.
Her multi-day tour of the Bay of Plenty started in Tauranga this week.
Her day started with a pōhiri at Huria Marae before officially opening The Kollective and the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service's new facility.
The Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy and husband Sir David Gascoigne being welcomed onto Te Papaiouru Marae at Ohinemutu. Read more here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=12252594
Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Almost 10 years ago to the day, she had visited the Huria Marae as the newly-appointed chief Crown negotiator for Treaty settlements in Tauranga Moana.
"It was very poignant for me to go back there," she said.
Yesterday the couple was welcomed on to Whakatāne's Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi campus.
Tomorrow she will visit the Fire and Emergency New Zealand National Training Centre before heading to Scion to find out more about research into kauri dieback.
Then it's a trip to Te Aka Mauri and a final stop to see the restored Te Arawa Soldiers' Memorial in Government Gardens.